Nos sigmul pugnare
by RosettaMay
Summary: "You're not evil," she had said, "I'm here," she had told him. Hermione throws caution to the wind in an attempt to save a dying Draco during the final battle resulting in the pair seeing each other in a new light.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first attempt at actually writing a fic after my many years of obsessively reading everyone else's amazing content. I really would like feedback on how I can improve things like characterisation, plot development and pace. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not claim to own any of these characters, i'm simply borrowing them from JK for my own purposes

"Damn it all!" Draco Malfoy slammed his fist into the mirror in front of him, fracturing the glass that displayed his weary and desperate face. Arms braced against the dirty porcelain sink, head hung between his shoulders and limp hair falling past his face, Draco knew he was the picture of a defeated man. He was failing and he was terrified and he was in too deep. He loosed a troubled breath but it did nothing to lift the weight that was resting heavily on his shoulders and chest.

Tears began to fall from his face silently, dripping into the basin just as he heard the quiet footsteps behind him. Whirling around as fast as he could, Hawthorn wand already in his hand Draco was ready to curse anyone who dared lay eyes upon him in this pathetic state. Of all the people in the world he expected to see, one Hermione Granger looking small yet determined was not one of them.

Draco was stunned for a moment and when it was clear she was not going to be the first to speak he reassembled his face into a scowl and asked as scathingly as he could manage, "What are you doing here, Granger?"

For her part, Hermione genuinely seemed to consider the question, watching Draco carefully before replying, "I followed you."

"Potter sent you to spy on me now, has he?" Draco sneered.

"No, Harry doesn't order me to do anything and he certainly doesn't know I've come to speak to you," Hermione spoke clearly, raising her eyebrow.

Draco considered the witch in front of him, come to speak to him? She must be looking for a way to rub his situation in his face. He knew that no one else knew about his mission but he wasn't stupid enough to believe that Dumbledore and Saint Potter weren't suspicious of him. Plus, it was easy to see that Draco was suffering, the permanent bags under his eyes since his return for 6th year and the way he had cast aside his friends in favour of his mission surely hadn't gone unnoticed. However for Granger to seek him out personally, without her band of idiots or even an audience, was strange. Who was there for her to publicly embarrass him in front of in this unused bathroom?

"I'm not here to make your life harder if that's what you're thinking," Granger spoke again after a moment of his confused wonderings.

"No? Well how about you turn around and walk your swotty ass right out of here then?" Draco spat, highly aware of the weak position she had caught him in, it was humiliating and she was sure to lord it over him in the future.

Instead of doing what he'd said like most people would when facing the anger of Draco Malfoy, she stayed exactly where she was. Her regulation uniform was sitting on her perfectly, knee high socks pulled up, pleated skirt falling exactly 1cm above her knee and her white shirt, ironed with a charm likely, was tucked neatly into her waistband. She looked oddly pristine in the dirty bathroom they were currently standing in. She slowly moved her hand up to push a section of her massive hair behind her ear, careful to not make any sudden movements, as if he was a frightened animal. He noted she was perfectly calm, even when standing alone in a room with her childhood bully pointing a wand straight at her chest.

"I came to say I'm sorry," she said eventually, enunciating each word carefully as if the sentence as a whole would make any more sense to Draco, "about what happened last year, with your father."

"Don't you dare speak about my father," Draco almost shouted, shoulders tensing even further than they already were. To Hermione's credit she barely blinked at the outburst and continued in soft tones, "It must of been incredibly difficult for you, to have him dragged off to Azkaban."

"Shutup, you have no idea what I feel," he snarled back.

Draco could feel the hurt of his wand arm as he continued to keep it trained directly at the witch in front of him. He hurt everywhere if he was being honest, a bone deep exhaustion had plagued him for months. Ever since he was first marked, and had woken up at Voldemort's feet in a puddle of his own piss, listening to his Dark Lord's rambling about how proud Draco was going to make him. How much better he was going to perform than his father who was currently sitting in Azkaban.

"No, I don't, and I can't imagine the pain and suffering you've been through but I just -" at this, Hermione paused, appearing hesitant for the first time since she'd entered the bathroom, "I want you to know that there are people that can help you."

Draco couldn't help the bark of laughter that came from his mouth but it didn't dissuade Hermione.

"I know that you're up to something and I don't know what it is but you should know that there are other options," she said meaningfully, staring up at him amber eyes.

Draco didn't know whether to laugh some more at her naïvete or curse her out the door for what she was implying. As if anyone from the good and holy side of the Light would lower themselves to help him. Regardless, his parents lives were riding on the completion of his task, he couldn't risk that for anything, not even his own soul.

"It's true, Harry and Ron aren't likely to see past their own ignorance anytime soon but I'm sure if you went to Dumbledore he could help you," she continued almost pleadingly.

"For someone who is topping most of her classes you really are an idiot Granger," Draco said callously, he relaxed his posture, lowered his wand and put back on the familiar face mask of the aristocratic snob. "You and your band of merry idiots can't help me if I don't need help," he said condescendingly.

Hermione's shoulders slumped slightly but, ever the Gryffindor, she didn't give up, "Malfoy – Draco, you may be a bully and a pureblood snob but you're not evil. You're a victim in this whole horrible thing and it's only going to get worse. You need to – just.." here, Hermione stuttered, unsure of what else she could say. "If you ever need to talk to someone, just know that I'm here to listen or help, or whatever you need." At this she stared imploringly into his cold grey eyes, willing him to see the genuineness in what she was saying before turning and walking slowly out of the bathroom.

Draco let out ragged breath that he didn't know he'd been holding. Damn meddling Gryffindors and their penchant for sticking their noses in places they don't belong! He was more confused than ever and he stood staring after the small brunette, running her words through his head long after she disappeared from sight. "You're not evil," she had said, "I'm here," she had told him.

A/N: I have all these ideas and scenes running through my head but i'm just so worried that i'm not good enough with words to do them justice. I hope you enjoyed this first chapter and any reviews would be superb!


	2. Chapter 2

Spells flew through the air, some finding their targets, some deflecting into their surroundings. Hermione ran through the debris of the castle, wand held high, searching for Harry.

It was madness, it was chaos, it was completely and utterly terrifying and yet the only thing Hermione's brilliant mind could think about was which spells she would use to fix the crumbling walls around her. Would a simple 'reparo' work on the ancient stone she wondered? Or would she need something more complex to ensure the magic of the castle was protected? She watched as Yaxley sent a particularly nasty curse hurtling towards Neville which ended up deflecting up into the roof of the Great Hall and wondered, would that affect the charms placed on it? Would it damage the roof above which they couldn't see or would it dissipate into nothing?

Stop it Hermione, she thought, shaking her head, focus, find Harry. She scanned her surroundings quickly but had no luck finding her best friend.

"Stupid, brave idiot," She muttered under her breath, of course he'd run of on some unknown mission without telling her or Ron. She knew he only did it to protect them but right then, she believed she could strangle him and his goddamn hero complex. Across the hall she saw a flash of pale white hair darting between the crowds. Hermione could have sworn she saw Draco Malfoy flick up a protection charm behind a duelling Luna, saving her from a wayward reducto. Lucius and Narcissa had been running through the chaos of the battle, apparently unconcerned about causing damage and instead screaming desperately for their son. Hermione had come face to face with Lucius earlier, only for him to ask her if he'd seen Draco. She had shook her head dumbly and he had run past her to continue his hunt, the whole event had Hermione giggle slightly at the absurdity until she remembered she was standing in the middle of a battlefield.

Coming back from her thoughts, she began to make her way outside, perhaps she would find Harry out there. Just in time she flung up a hasty Protego to stop an incoming curse from Dolohov. It seemed he still held a grudge against her for not dying those years ago at the ministry and was stalking towards her now to remedy that. He slashed his wand through the air sending a purple jet of light towards her that Hermione was pretty sure would do something very unpleasant to her internal organs. She ducked quickly, sending back a curse of her own. Back and forth they went until Hermione nicked his shoulder with a slicing curse, he roared in pain but continued, looking even angrier than before. At that moment Hermione caught a glimpse of a head of black messy hair and allowed her eyes to wander only to discover a young Hufflepuff dueling fiercely. The momentary distraction however was crucial and as she turned back to Dolohov she cursed her stupidity. He had seen her mistake and was taking full advantage, a jet of white light was hurtling at her with incredible speed. Oh shit, Hermione thought, just as she was knocked viciously to the side, out of the path of the spell. She hit the ground hard, landing heavily on her shoulder but was quickly turning to see what had pushed her out of harm's way. Draco Malfoy stood there, arms outstretched after pushing Hermione with a shocked look on his face, as if he himself couldn't believe what he'd just done. There was no time for Hermione to react, the spell hit Malfoy squarely, knocking him off his face and onto the ground where he lay still.

"No!" Hermione yelled, scrambling to her feet and sending a killing curse at Dolohov, just as she should have done to begin with. Dolohov, still confused by the abrupt target change his spell had undergone, was not prepared for a counter attack so quickly and fell, unceremoniously to the floor. Hermione rushed to Malfoys' side, casting every diagnostic spell she knew in quick succession. She had no idea what spell Dolohov had used and there seemed to be no outward damage to Malfoy's body, whatever it was, it was doing something inside.

"Draco!" a blood curdling scream came from behind Hermione and in flash she was surrounded by two terrified Malfoys.

"Is - is he - Is he dead?" sobbed a distraught Narcissa. Hermione glanced up at the Malfoy matriarch, she was a beautiful woman, even in distress. Her gaze moved to Lucius and she marvelled at the parents ability to produce a son the spitting image of each of them, there was no doubting Draco's parentage. I suppose that tends to happen when your family tree crosses over more times than you count Hermione thought rather snidely.

"No but he will be soon if I can't figure how what that damn curse was," Hermione said through gritted teeth. Sifting through the results of her diagnostic charms she gasped.

"Fuck," she swore.

"What is it?" Lucius demanded, both parents were looking to Hermione for answers, they'd heard of her intellect and neither were very experienced with healing spells. Narcissa had taken Malfoy's hand into her own and was gently stroking it as if her touch alone could heal the damage being done.

Hermione stared at Malfoy once again, her hands still for the first time since he'd been hit, the curse Dolohov had intended for her was currently eating away at Draco's magical core. Probably some sick kind of joke, designed to take away the magic she had "stolen" from wizard kind she thought detachedly. Fuck, fuck, fuck, this was bad. Think Hermione, brightest witch of your age, do something!

Lucius and Narcissa were watching the girl that held their son's life in their hands with bated breath and Hermione felt the weight of the responsibility bearing down on her. It hit her all of a sudden, it was a bad idea, a terrible idea, an idea that in all likelihood would get the both of them killed but if she didn't try anything Malfoy was going to die in front of her, hit by a curse aimed for her. It was a rather terrible place to die she decided, he was probably laying on all kinds of rubble that would be doing horrible things to his back, not good at all. Although, he likely didn't care much for any back pains at this point in time she supposed.

Hermione took a deep breath in and steeled herself, she lifted her wand and began moving it in a series of complicated movements over Malfoy's body.

"What are you doing?" Lucius demanded again though he made no move to stop her and Hermione made no attempt to explain.

Please work, please don't kill me, please don't kill him, Hermione chanted in her head before she spoke aloud, "Nos sigmul pundare."

Magic thrummed to life in the air between Hermione and Malfoy, so strong she was surprised she couldn't physically see it. It latched onto her and pulled tight like a cord and the last thing Hermione could think of as blackness crept into her sight was, gods,I hope they properly research how to repair the castle when this is over.

A/N: I currently have no publishing schedule, i'm just releasing as I write it. I have no beta either so any typos/ grammatical errors are solely my fault. Hope you all are enjoying this brain child of mine so far and any of your opinions I would be glad to hear, even criticisms, I'm not so big-headed as to believe this is a perfect work of art and I would love to know anything I could work on!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This chapter is longer than the last two, I hope you guys like the direction this is going and for those of you have reviewed you should know I giggled like a loon from your lovely words, bless you all!

-x-x-x-x-

It was close to nightfall when she woke up, pulled from unconsciousness with all the grace of a ballet dancer with two left feet. Launching herself into a sitting position and reaching for her wand with reflexes acquired after a year on the run, it was safe to say she scared the ever living daylights out of the two boys who sat on either side of her hospital bed.

"Bloody hell!" cried Ron, who had previously been holding her hand before it was swiftly yanked out of his grasp, and then, "Hermione, you're awake!"

On the other side of the bed Harry Potter stood quickly, rushing to Hermione's side and wrapping her in a hug so tight she could hardly breath. The young boy had suffered so many losses in his life, so many losses that very day that the grief was sure to hang over him for years and years to come. He knew however, without a doubt that had he had to count Hermione among those who had sacrificed their life in this godforsaken war that grief would have overcome him. The bushy haired girl that had stubbornly kept him alive through all these years and stood by him in the face of every danger imaginable, would have been the final straw, so when she woke he couldn't keep the tear that fell from his eye nor did he try.

"Hermione," he whispered, with such relief that the girl in question had to quickly wipe away a few tears of her own, "It's over, we did it, it's over."

Hermione let out a ragged sigh, relief washed over her in waves, it was over. After all these years, all the fighting and all the losses, they were finally done. Voldemort could take his backwards beliefs and horcruxes and shove them up his ass, they had won. Hermione couldn't help but think of the days ahead, where there was no need to run, no need to seek out objects hosting the vilest type of dark magic and no need to scavenge the woods just to find enough for her and the boys to eat that night. Instead she could now live an exceedingly normal life, filled with her friends and completely average troubles, like how many more books she could buy before there were too many for her bookshelf.

"You scared us good there, Mione," Ron said from behind the pair, leaning in to give her a good hug once Harry had released her.

Hermione looked up at her two best friends from the bed she was seated in, Harry's face was lined with worry and tiredness but she could see his green eyes shone with relief, Ron too looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders but there was no mistaking the grief that surrounded the two boys.

"How long have I been out?" she asked warily, she felt as if she'd been laying in bed for years, her muscles now exhausted, gone was the adrenaline that had flooded her body when she first woke up. She felt weak and tired and absolutely drained.

"We're not entirely sure, they found you passed out next to Malfoy after the fighting had stopped, that was about six hours ago," Ron said, sitting down in his chair again. Only six hours? Hermione thought bewilderedly, her body was telling her she'd been there for a lifetime. Wait, Malfoy!

"You said Malfoy, where is he?" Hermione asked quickly, the boys glanced at each other before looking back at their friend.

"He's here too, Mione, we thought you might want a bit of privacy first when you woke up," Harry said slowly, indicating the curtains surrounding her bed, "The Malfoy's are quite keen to speak to you though."

"Yeah, they've been almost as worried about you as we have," Ron said, obviously confused, "Do ya' know why?"

The pair once again stared at Hermione, waiting for her response, when she was still quiet, pondering how to explain to them what had happened, Harry spoke again.

"Kingsley told me you and Malfoy were both unconscious outside the castle for hours while the battle was going, he said Lucius and Narcissa defended you both against everyone, they stood guard for hours, cursing anyone that got near, Death Eaters included."

Hermione sighed, it seemed that spell she had used had worked, she remembered the cord of magic that had connected her and Malfoy before she had passed out. If he was here in the hospital wing then there was no doubt her spell was doing what she had needed it to, otherwise Draco Malfoy would have already joined the list of names of the fallen. She made to swing her legs over the edge of the bed and nearly made it before Harry rushed back towards her, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders.

"You can't get up, you've been hurt, you need to rest," He said, staring into her eyes.

"I'm fine Harry, I swear. I have to see Malfoy and then i'll explain everything to you," She said to him pleadingly. Harry looked unsure for a moment but his trust in the girl won out and he helped her stand up, giving her his arm to lean on should she need it. Hermione took it gratefully and began to shuffle towards the front of the bed, Ron walked ahead to pull aside the curtains for them and a rush of noise filled the air around them. Hermione realised the boys must have cast silencing charms around her bed to stop the noise from disturbing her and once again she was overwhelmingly grateful for the pair. They'd been through so much together, she thanked whichever gods were listening for bringing the three of them together. Harry began guiding them to the left as Ron turned around to talk to them.

"I think I should go be with my family now, they've set up on the grounds outside, they'll be glad to hear you're okay Mione," he said, leaning in to give her a quick kiss on her hairline and then looking at Harry, "See ya' soon mate." Harry nodded solemnly then watched as their red haired friend walked towards the exit.

"Fred didn't make it," Harry whispered softly into Hermione's ear, she gasped, tears once again springing to her eyes. Hermione could never have prepared herself for the loss of one of the Weasley's, her adoptive family. They had been nothing but accommodating and had showered her with love from the moment Ron had introduced her to them, treating her as one of their own without hesitation. To lose Fred would be a massive blow, she couldn't even imagine how they were feeling, especially George, to lose a twin would be an entirely different type of heartbreak. War is absolutely shit, Hermione decided rather petulantly. Such a beautiful and loving family should never have to suffer as they have.

There was no more time, however, to anger herself over the unfairness of the situation as Harry had led them all the way to a bed in the far corner of the hospital. Without realising, as they'd gotten closer to the bed, Hermione's strength had slowly started to come back, she no longer needed to lean on Harry's arm to stay upright and was now inching closer to the bed on her own. Peering down she saw the figure off Draco Malfoy, looking very much like he was in the middle of a very deep, peaceful sleep. She didn't have much more time than that before the two occupants on either side of the bed noticed her appearance, Narcissa Malfoy rushed quickly towards Hermione, hesitating slightly just as she reached her before wrapping her arms around Hermione. Hermione stood awkwardly, arms hanging limply by her side before she reached up with an uncertain hand to pat the woman gingerly on the back. She didn't know the Malfoy matriarch very well, but the impression she had gained from word of mouth, brief glimpses and articles in the Prophet, was that Narcissa was a proud and confident woman. At this moment in time she looked nothing like the image Hermione had created in her mind, she looked every inch the worried mother, there was still the poise and grace of a born and bred aristocrat but, in her distress over her son, she had let slip the mask, showing an uncharacteristic amount of vulnerability.

"You wonderful, wonderful girl," Mrs. Malfoy was repeating over and over again, still thoroughly smothering Hermione, "Thank you so much."

"Narcissa, you're going to suffocate the poor girl," Came the firm voice of Lucius Malfoy from behind his wife. Hermione glanced over the slim shoulder of Narcissa to assess the elder Malfoy. Though his voice had conveyed a certain power, he looked much like his wife, worried and distressed but overall, Hermione thought, the man looked resigned. He looked much older than his young forty-five, years of servitude had aged him, worry lines decorated his face and his shoulders were slumped, defeated. His hair on the other hand was still the pale white that all Malfoy's were known for, the same shade as his only son who was currently laying motionless beside him.

"Of course, of course," Narcissa said rapidly, moving back to stand in front of her husband, folding her hands demurely in front of her. Hermione stood in place, shocked by the behaviour of both Malfoy's, only to be even more floored when Lucius took a step forward, extended his hand and said, "I believe we owe you our deepest gratitude, young lady, we are in your debt and if there is any way we can repay you, do let us know."

For the second time that day, Lucius's words and actions struck Hermione dumb, she opened her mouth to speak before closing it again. She could hear Harry behind her, sputtering at the scene unfolding before him, she could only imagine his confusion.

She gathered herself together in the blink of an eye, slipping her hand into Lucius's larger one before speaking softly.

"Nonsense, he saved my life just a surely, it was the least I could do, you owe me nothing."

Lucius nodded swiftly, releasing his grasp on her hand and reclaiming the seat he had occupied before her arrival seemingly grateful to have been excused by Hermione of further social interaction.

"Hermione, what did you do?" Harry asked in awe, his curiosity finally peaking, what would cause Lucius Malfoy, of all people, to act civil around his best friend? No slurs about her blood, no condescending looks or insults spat into her face.

Hermione glanced back at her best friend, unsure how to explain the lengths she had gone to save the life of his childhood rival. He would scold her, told her she had been reckless and idiotic and not at all like the Hermione he knew, but she knew in the end he would understand. He would have done the same thing given the circumstances, she was sure of it.

Before she could begin explaining, Poppy Pomfrey came storming up to the group to do just what she was expecting Harry to do when she explained herself.

"How could you be so careless with your life Miss Granger! What you did was exceedingly dangerous, you're lucky to be standing here right now, come to think of it, why aren't you in bed?" All of this was said in hushed tones, so as not to disturb any of the other patients, which heavily reduced the effect the healer had intended but there was no mistaking, she was furious. Hermione, however, simply stared at Pomfrey defiantly before replying, "And if I hadn't done it, Malfoy here would certainly be dead."

"Well he isn't out of the woods just yet missy and neither are you, it's a long road and he's going to have to fight every step of the way," Madam Pomfrey stared pointedly at Hermione, before she sighed and added, "it was very brave, love, I just wish I could have been consulted before you took such a drastic step."

"There was no time, it all happened so fast, he was hit and the curse was eating away at his magical core, there was nothing else I could do," Hermione reasoned.

"I don't even know how you knew that particular spell, it's old magic, and not particularly light," the healer said, raising her eyebrow speculatively. At this Hermione faltered slightly before countering with "I read a lot,"

"Spell's like that certainly aren't in any of the books at Hogwarts," Pomfrey retorted and Hermione mumbled something about the many books in the Black Library.

"Bit of light reading, hm?" Pomfrey asked before finally relenting, "No matter, it's done now, all we can do now is make this as easy as possible for you and ,"

"Hermione," Harry suddenly burst out, he had stood by and witnessed the whole interaction, only becoming more and more confused. Why were the Malfoy's being so nice why did it sound like Pomfrey was implying Hermione had used dark magic? How did it affect Malfoy, and what did the healer mean when she said making it easy for Malfoy and Hermione? All these questions raced through Harry's head before he settled for repeating his earlier question.

"What did you do?" Hermione took a deep breath before she turned to face Harry fully.

"I bound mine and Malfoy's magical cores together to help fight the curse he was hit with."

-x-x-x-x-

A/N: so, I in no way believe that the Lucius Malfoy of canon is a good or noble character who should be forgiven but in my story i'm going to play around with him, change his reasons for doing things and actions to suit who I want him to be. Also some of you might be confused as to why they'd let a known Death Eater hang out in the hospital wing, that will be addressed in the next chapter, I think at the moment everyone's just a little bit shell shocked and not operating at their best, that's my excuse at least!

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter!


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